New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-08
41ALR WITH BARRETT.
IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES OF THE ACTOR.
MANAGER.

IDEAS AND EXPERIENCES OF THE ACTOR
MANAGER
A man somewhat above the medium height, whose
rraysh hair softened the outline Of rather clean
sace and whose walk and bearing had the sprnginess
and agility of YOUTH walked the lobby Of the Fifth
Avenue Hotel the other morning and assembled the
broad staircase This Lawrence Barrett an actor
and manager who is hard worker OIL the stage as
IT, It's therefore surprising to lind him attending
70 his manifold concerns comparatively early hour
in the morning He walked with his visitor through tho
soft carpeted corridors into his bright cheerful room
looking out over Madison Square, As they sat and talked
the hum of busy city life through the open window
along with the scent Of the opening buds and spring bios
SONS from the park scarce stones throw away
Naturally he referred to the success Vi MI oooSus seF
son under his management
We shall make" he said. something CONSIDERABLY
over 100000 before the ends and better than
that 1t will leave Mr. Booth stronger in health and more
cheerful in mind than he has been for some years past
Wreath of fame when he is past his eth year 1t has.
indeed phrase yfn Mr. gI s sas
found himself surrounded by company which e s not
only good one from stage point OF view, ocS
them to himself and think has derived benefit from
their &c WBs Se ae S fatigue an
travelling Before he set OF on his tour tod MN ,ht
wSrdn Te Write TO me- felt sure that from these places
he could send me no word OF satlstaeuon Ior t
could cause him to do away with He remembered what
had said and when be made Gne o. sae % cs 10 ADJ
dress in buresque fashion as Monster, wreten'
had de"dcd him. for there really nothing to COM
plain Of"
Mr. Barrett when the subject OF his own success at
Niblo's was introduced, had this to say:
Yes I am very pleased to say that Rienz' Is an
undoubted success here has been everywhere this
season. Analysing the OF this TO the BEST OF my
ability can only conclude that that part, in the first
teular xvplla
thoroughness with which have mounted and costmed
the piece have been appreciated by the public Tho
public know a great deal more than they dd rev
years ago-nOt only the public of New York. but that or
cities outside have had this borne In upon me during
my of travelling through the country The oess
OF everything has succeeded everywhere, ana inc
managers of such entertanments as are tnoroggnLyy
some Of them severely dollar longer burns hole
I'm the pocket OF the average He wants nowadays
money and he knows that do this If he waits until
the right play or entertainment comes along men,
too think the American Is getting 10 De ionder
of his home fe and longer drawn to the theatre
for want of better place to spend his evening
Tho ncvcrfafnc topic of the Interstate Commerce
bill touched upon
think the BILL" said Mr.. Barrett" is going to ex-
ercise potent influence upon the theatrical profession
am certain it will do so iii Is allowed to remain IN
force for two or three years not altogether sure
that this influence will be without its benefit In the hrst
place. it will draw back to the larger cities and es-
peciaIly to New-Yor many people who will find their
best interest served in becoming prominent members OF
good stock companies. There now on the ROAD many
starred on their account. They have gained little
fame and have only been enabled To make tle money
by the very facilities afforded them hitherto by railway
companies The irstclass combinations NH continue
travel but think they VIII do so on erens pasls;
Perhaps the old local stock companies In the smallest
cities may come into being again. perhaps II ~
better that they should but the local manager OF
the future will have 10 be something more than mere
janor as he is at present He will IN future nave 70
in
fares, far as the principal members OF tne coinpsSs
law from taking large stock of scenery number OF
small and insignificant people Longer stay VIII
will be beneficial TO all concerned the public Included.
A recent muchtalked-of managerial combination.
which at time it was thought would take pace III
New-YOrk was referred to.
should be sorry" said Mr Barrett to see another
actormanager quit the field In the combination actor
and manager am. you may naturally suppose, hrm
believer and think the history OF the drama will bear
me ont I'm it, am convinced that the theatre should be
managed from the stage but this does not necessarily
mDy that the manager should be actual actor. Both
Mr. DAILY and Mr. Palmer fall within my definition OF tho
arcoi sneeators They use their own judgment as to
the choice plays and they both of them manage their
In positive terms the theory that an actor cannot be
manager The successful actor has another nature side
by side with artistic and the very qualities which
help him TO hold an audience are useful ~ Ieach,hs n
OF the Theatre Francois not an actor, yet he was
great very great He was an artist himself as
well rs a successful business man"
Mr. Barrett asked whether he has forsaken MS uea
OF having himself theatre in Newiork.
BY no means" he said. have merely been oDliged
TO postpone the OF my plans for little WHILE
But am firmly resolved that in the near future New
York shall have stock theatre which shall be devoted To
the higher order OF DRAMA and which shall be conducted
from broad and liberal point OF view. have not been
working these many years without having formed many
positiye opinions as the conduct of such theatre.
may be wrong in my premises, Dnt II am hot' am
sure that my conclusions are well drawn"
Mr. Barrett referred Mr. Iryings forthcoming pro-
ducon Werner which he considered ought IN inc
English actors hands % be entirely SUCCESSFUL lie
mentioned that Charlotte Cushman had once wanted
him 10 pay the same part but that he had shrun IRON
doing So The play he thought, was exceently adapted
doubt Mr. Irving would give it, Macready 8 name being
naturally mentioned In connection with the play, MI
BARRETT told an amusing little story illustrating that
great actors incapacity for taking humorous view OF
things Told rather shortly than Mr. Barrett gave
H. the story this effect: Macready was once play
provincial theatre OF the characters after giving
description OF his ruin by gambling, Is asked by
B,reriev how his ruin had been accomplished He re-
niles "Trhey msled me-" which the gameser answers,
They msled too" and thereby mixes one OF his most
important points The country actor, an fiterato
fellow gave the word phOnecay, saying ~sney uLAeu
me-" Macready stared him for an instant and then IN
tragic tones fell into his chair grayey repeating ihey
miZzled me- too" ~, n. -,
Talking of his plans for the future Mr. Barrett said
that nj the close NewIork season at the emu OF
this month"; he would his country place at Cohasset
with his family, whom he expects TO arrive from Europe
to-day He viii there until lie starts next season,
playing with Edwin Booth.